A-Z of Letchworth launched in time for Christmas

Written by Josh Tidy, an expert on garden cities, the book is ideal of lovers of architecture and design, history and the arts and crafts movement.

Author Josh Tidy said: “The A-Z concept of the book makes it easy to dip in and out of and return to.

“I have tried not to stick to the ‘greatest hits’ of Letchworth.

“This means that I have been able to highlight some of the lesser-known people, places and events that have all shaped Letchworth’s fascinating history.

“Each entry is illustrated with unique and original images from the International Garden Cities Exhibition.”

‘A’ includes the Anglia Match Company, founded in 1935 and Arbor Day, an annual tree planting ceremony founded in Nebraska.

‘O’ is for the Ogle Design, an industrial design and model making consultancy which continues to do award-winning work and has been based in Letchworth since 1960.

Under ‘M’ is Marmet, the pram manufacturer that reinvented the baby carriage.

The new carriage became popular across the world, with clients including members of the royal family.

Many early female pioneering residents are also included in A-Z of Letchworth Garden City.

Under ‘L’ is Annie Lawrence, who led a campaign to improve the lives of children in the clean air of Letchworth after witnessing the poverty of the London slums.

‘R’ is for Juliet Reckitt, the daughter of George Reckitt of Reckitt & Sons – a manufacturer of starch and other cleaning materials.

Juliet was an active supporter of the Letchworth Quakers and also funded the Girls’ Club extension to Howard Hall.

Josh Tidy is the curator at the Heritage Foundation’s International Garden Cities Exhibition, the museum and visitor centre.

He has a keen knowledge of the history of Letchworth and is a passionate advocate for garden cities past and present and across the world.

He is the author of several other books about Letchworth, including Letchworth Garden City Through Time, also published by Amberley.